Trap-gun.



J. ROSS. TRAP GUN- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1908,

Patented Nov. 24:, 1908'.

1n: NQRRIS PETERS co. WASHINGTON, n. c.

JOHN ROSS, or wEIsEe, IDAHO,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES PICKETT, OF MERIDIAN, IDAHO.

TRAP-Gun.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 1, 1908. SerialNo. 436,058.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHNROSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Weiser, in the county of Washington and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trap-Guns; and I- do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in trap guns, and the object of my invention is to provide a gun for use in exterminating wolves, foxes, etc., so arranged that theseizure of the bait by the animal will cause the discharge of the gun, which is so arranged as to always point directly at the bait.

A. further object is to provide a simple and inexpensive gun which can be readily fixed at any desired point. 7

With these objects in view, my invention consists in the construction and combina-' tion of parts as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a side view of my improved gun, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same.

(t represents the base piece provided with holes, through which the pins. 72 may be driven, fastening the whole structure firmly to the ground at any desired point. Mounted in the base a is a pin a headed at both ends, and on this pin is mounted the lower member of a U-shaped frame d, which revolves freely on said pin 0. The upper ends of the frame d are perforated, and through them passes a pin 6, on which is mounted the lever for the releasing .mechanism, and on which is also mounted the frame 7, which supports the gun g. The frame f consists of a circular portion surrounding the gun g,

and two depending portions 72., which fit within the arms of the U-shaped frame 0? and are pivotally mounted on the pin 6. From the construction described, it will be seen .that the gun is mounted on what is practically a universal joint, so that it can swing freely in a vertical plane or in a horizontal plane. p

z represents the cartridge and j the removable breech block which is provided with a handle 70, and which is kept in position'by the pin m. Byremoving this pinm, the

wholebreech block can be easily removed for thepurpose of loading.

.11. represents the firing pin, loosely mount ed in the center of the breech block, as usual. The mechanism for firing the gun will next be described. Attached to the gun near its front end, is a downward projecting arm 0, provided with a plurality of perforatlons 10. Through one of these perforations, runs a rod g,'which terminates in a hook r, on which. the bait is placed. The other end of the rod 9 is pivotally attached to a removable arm or lever s, mounted on the pin 6. Through one of the holes 9, runs a rod t, on which ismounted a spiral spring M, which normally tends to force the rod 2. towards the muzzle of the gun. The rear part of the rod t is" curved, and terminates in a head i), and attached to this head is a ring to, for convenience in withdrawing the rod 2.. This rod t is provided with a'bent portion 01:, adapted to engage a pin or rod 3 on the arms b, so as to hold it, under ordinary conditions, out of contact with the firing pin.

The operation is as follows: The device is fixed in any desired position by driving in the pins 6, and by means of the ring to, the rod t is drawn back against the tension of the spring, and the front end of the rod is allowed to rest against the arm 0, to avoid any possibility of accident. The pin on is then removed, the breech block taken out, the gun loaded, and the breech block put in position and fastened by the pin m. The end of the rod 25 is then passed through one of the perforations p, and the bent portion at is caused to engage with the bar 37. The bait is then placed on the hook rand the device is set. When a wolf or other animal seizes the bait, he pulls on the rod q, and this operates the lever s, lifting the rod it out of engagement with the rod y, whereupon the spring a pulls the rod 6 forward, the head '0 thereof strikin the firing pin and discharging the gun. hould the animal try to move sidewise, on account of the swivel mounting, the gun will always be kept pointing directly at the bait.

I claim 1. The combination of a gun provided with a removable breech block, having a firing pin therein, swiveled mountings for said gun, whereby said gun may be moved freely either horizontally or vertically, a perfo-v rated arni attached to said gun near its muzzle, a spring pressed rod, passing through one of the perforations in-said arm, and having its rear end curved to engage the firing pin, a catch for normally holding said arm in an inoperative position against the tension of said spring, a pivoted lever, adapted when moved to release said rod, and a rod pivotally attached to said lever, the end of Whichis adapted to receive the bait, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a base piece, adapted to be secured to the ground, a frame mounted to rotate horizontally on said base piece, a second frame mounted to rotate vertically in said first named frame, a gun car ried by said second frame, and provided with a breech block having a firing pin, a perforated. arm supported on said gun near the muzzle thereof, a firing rod projecting through one of the perforations in said arm, 1. a spring surrounding sald firlng rod, a catch for engaging said firing rod, and normally holding it in an lnoperatlve position, a pivoted lever engaging sald firing rod, and

adapted when moved to release said rod from said cat-ch, and a rod pivotally connected to said lever, and passing through one of the perforations of said arm, the end of which is adapted to receive the bait, substantially as described. 

